Iglesia de la Santa Veracruz, Mexico City

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Iglesia de la Santa Veracruz is yet another fine example of Mexican churches from the 18th century with maroon-coloured bricks and a red dome. It is located in the Bellas Artes area not far from el Palacio de Bellas Artes.

This is one of the oldest churches in the city. On this grounds once there was the Hermit of the Archbrotherhood of the Cross, which was inaugurated by Hernan Cortes in 1526. The current building was constructed between 1730 and 1776. It has two facades: the main one shows to the west and the lateral to the south. The building has two bodies made of chiluca stone and covered in tezontle (a volcanic rock), topped by two towers; the latter has a central niche with a stone cross on top. This building is shaped like a Latin cross, with vaults over the transept and an octagonal dome. On the altar there is a Christ, a gift from Emperor Charles V, known as Lord of the Seven Veils. On His sides there are images of the Virgin of Sorrow and Saint John the Evangelist. The church still has an altar overlaid in gold. In this place there are buried the sculptor and architect Manuel Tolsa and Ignacio Lopez Rayon, one of the leaders of Mexican Independence.